Mechanical toy



Mirch 12, 1929.

s. B ERGER MECHANICAL TOY Filed April 15, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet vwem or flmdlfiezyer 33 um 1401 0 March 12, 1929. 5, BERGER 1,705,172

MECHANICAL TOY Filed April 15, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

iii,

Patented Mar. 12, 1929.

UNITED STATES SAMUEL I. BERGER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

MECHANICAL TOY.

Application filed April 15,

My present invention is concerned with the provision of a mechanical toy of the character in which a plurality of independently movable figure members are operable in a life-like and realistic manner. More particularly. one of the figure members apparently responds to or is influenced by the action of another, though in reality both figure members are mechanically controlled, the simulation of responsive or co-related action being obtained simply by the proper coordination and timing of the figure actuating means,

Preferably one of the figures appears to deliver a projectile at the other, the latter figure simulating an action apparently naturally incidental to the reception of the projectile. This inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways, as for instance. the throwing and catching or the throwing and batting of an imaginary ball, but in the specific embodiment herein shown. a toy gunner apparently shoots at a toy figure which drops as though hit by the shot.

Greater realism may be had by the use of a noise making device operated simultaneously with the apparent firing of the gun and by causing the gunner to simulate the natural movements of a huntsman loading and cocking his gun and taking aim at the game.

Objects of the invention are provide a toy of the general character noted above which will combine attractiveness of appearance with simplicity of construction and automaticity of operation.

Further objects are to provide a toy in v bich the movements of the figurines are not only realistic but also occur with unexpected rapidity and variety and are executed with a snap and ahruptuess which proves peculiarly fascinating and entertaining to a child.

More general objects are to provide a toy of rugged durable inexpensive construction, well suited to stand up under the careless handling and rough treatment to which such devices are ordinarily subjected.

The invention may be better understood from the following description in connec tion with the accoi'npanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a view in longitudinal vertical secti n through the toy,

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view thereof taken approximately on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a View in front elevation of the 1927. Serial No. 183,979.

partition member upon which the movable target figures are mounted.

Fig. 4 is a view in rear elevation thereof with the protective casing removed, and;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse sectional detail on the line 5 4) of Fig. 2.

In the drawings. 1 have used the numeral to designate a base plate supported upon downwardly turned marginal flanges 10 and turned upwardly at one end to provide a vertical Wall portion 11, having target figures 12 mounted on and projecting above its top in a manner to be later described.

An oscillatory box-like carriage member 11 with its bottom open as at 14 and bearing a platform 15 has a swivel mount on the other end of the base plate. This carriage mounts and houses an operating motor which not only causes movement of the carriage and actuates the target figurines, but also controls the life-like actions of one or more figures 16, 17 mounted on the platform, as

veil as operating a noise-making device.

The carriage 11 swings back and forth across the end of the platform about a center defined by a pivot post 13 rising from the end of the base and encircled by a sleeve 18 projecting rearwardly from the carriage. This sleeve preferably rests on a lip 19 turned inwardly from an upwardly extending flange 20 at the end of the base. Thus, the carriage is maintained just out of contact with the base and frictional resistance to oscilla tory movement of the former is minimized.

A tongue 21 disposed under the base 10 and extending longitudinally thereof includes an upturned rear end 22 passing through a slot 23 in the base and rigidly fixed to the forward wall of the box-like carriage.

Tongue 2]. controls the movement of the toy target figures 12 in the following manner:Each of the toy figures 12 (shown in the present instance as cats) includes a tab 24 projecting through a slot 24 in the wall 11. These tabs being disposed at right angles to the bodies of the figures limit the gravitational rearward swinging movement of the latter by engaging the front face of Wall 11 as seen in Fig. 1. The lower portions of the figures 12 abut wall 11 limiting their forward and upward swinging movement and in consequence, the center of gravity of the figures is always disposed rearwardly of the pivoting tabs 24. Thus, unless additional support is afforded, the figures naturally fall to the position of Fig. 1 and are concealed from the view of one at the carriage end of the base plate.

Vertical slide members mounted on the rear face of wall 11 are normally springurged upwardly, engaging the figures 12 and maintaining them in the relatively upright exposed position of Fig. I). Slides 25 are retained in place by tongues 26 passed through slots 27 in wall 11 and upset. Springs (Fig. 4) engage lugs 22!) on toe slides and tend to lift them to the full extent permitted by the slot and tongue connection at 26. 27.

Ramps 30 carried by and projecting rearwardly from the lower ends of slides are engaged by a roller 31 on the reversely bent end 21 of a rod 21 ca rried by and forming a continuation of tongue 21 whereby the swinging movement of tongue 21 causes successive depression of the slides 25 and permits successive gravitational falling of figures 12. These figures disappear from sight as the roller 31 depressi the ramps of their associated slides 25 and bob up again as the roller passes off the ramps and permits the springs 28 to act.

If desired. a box-like casing member 32 secured to the rear face of wall 11 by any con ventional securing means, serves to conceal all of the operating mechanism for the figures 12.

One of the figures mounted on the platform 15 IGPIQSPIETS a gunner and is actuated in such a manner that it appears to kneel and fire. then partially rise and load or cock his gun. The entire figure is formed of united duplicate metal stampings cooperatively producing a hollow head. hollow body and hollow jointed egs. The lower section 35 of one leg is rigidly fixed to the platform as at 36; the upper section 37 of said leg is pivoted at. 38 to the lower section and by a pitot pin at 39 to the body. The upper section 40 of the other leg is also pivoted on the pin 39 and pivotall joined at 41 to its lower section 42. the foot portion of the latter having a hivotal or movable connection with the platform at a point spaced from the foot portion of the opposite leg. The figure thus normally assumes a kneeling: posture resting on one knee but is caused to intermittently rise up by the mechanism now to be described.

A link 44 pivotaily connected at one end to the upper end of stationary leg section and at its other end to the lower portion of the figure body beneath the rod The intermediate portion of this link has a loose connection with the upper end of a vertically disposed rod 45 reciprocated by a crank. 46 on a driven shaft 47 iournalled in the hollow carriage in parallelism with the front wall thereof.

Stationary arms 48 projecting forwardly from the figure body cooperate with the body to rigidly mount a toy rifle or shotgun 48*.

As the rod 45 reeiprocatcs, the figure 16 rises and falls, at one time assuming the kneeling posture of Fig. 1. with the gun pointing at one of the target figures 12. and then partially rising to the position of Fig. with the gun (due to the inclination of the body) pointed upwardly as though being cocked or loaded. Obviously. the linkage may be so arranged that the gunner seems to kneel and cock the gun and then rise and ire.

The motor me hanism may be in many respects conventional. if desired. I have shown a motor frame including a horizontal plate portion 50 extending transversely across the upper end of the hollow carriage and integral with spaced depending vertical parallel plates 51, 52. A motor shaft or drum shaft 53 is journalled in the plate 51 and in one wall of the casing 14, and is formed with a projecting winding key 54.

A drum 55 on the shaft 53 carries at one end a ratchet: wheel 56 for coaction with a pawl 57 pivoted to the casing wall. the drum being encircled by a coiled motor spring 58. One end of this spring is anchored to the drum, and its opposite end to a large gear wheel 59 loose on the drum shaft and meshing with a pinion 60 on the driven shaft 47. A pinion and gear train designated generally by the numeral 61 and mounted on the driven shaft 47 and a countershaft 62 provides the necessary fly wheel governing action in a manner well understood in the art. A brake lever 63 interlocking with the teeth of one of the gears of train 61 is mounted in the forward wall of the carriage and provided with an exposed operating end 64 so that the motor may be stopped at will.

A noise making apparatus such for instance as the gong 65 is mounted within the carriage and struck intermittently by a spring clapper 66 tensioned and released at each revolution of the shaft 47 by a crank arm 67 fixed to the shaft 47.

Any suitable number of additional toy figures, such for instance as the toy dog 17 may also be operated from the shaft 47. The dog is carried upon the upper end of a lever 70 projecting through the platform 15 and fulcrumed at 71 below the platform. A tail piece 72 on the lever is disposed in the path of a series of radially disposed operating arms 73 carried by the shaft 47 and causing movement of the toy dog by rocking the lever as seen in Fig. 1.

Unique mechanism used for causing the oscillatory movement of the carriage 14. This mechanism includes a gear wheel 75 on shaft 53 driven from a pinion 76 on the shaft 47 and carrying an eccentrically mounted. laterally projecting horizontally disposed arm 77 working in a vertical slot in a post 78. This post rises from the base 10 within the open bottomed carriage 14.

The slot in cross section, is preferably wide iii at both sides and restricted at its intermediate portion. To obtain this formation, the post may be constructed of a pair of vertical plates of general V shape in cross section with their apices pointing at each other and spaced apart to cooperatively detine the slot. The peculiar shape of the slot permits the rod 77 to pass through the post at various angles as will be readily understood.

The operation of the device is as follows. Vhen the motor has been wound and the brake released, the gear will start to turn. Such rotation is however blocked by the confinement o1" eccentric rod 77 in post 78 so that the entire carriage is swung bodily about its pivot post 13 in one direction or the other each time the rod passes its dead center position. The slotted post 78 serves as a stationary cam compelling movement of the entire carriage through the leverage of the eccentric rod 77.

The ratio of gear 7 5 and pinion 76 is about three to one so that three times during each traverse of the carriage the figure 16 will go through the entire cycle of its n'iovcmcnts. This figure movement is synchronized with the movement of the slides in such a manner that every time the gunner aims at a cat the latter will disappear, gong 65 simultaneously sounding to emphasize the efiect of a shot being fired. Upon continued movement of the carriage the figure 16 apparently cocks the gun, rises and aims at another cat, by which time the recently annihilated target figure again bobs up over the wall in proper position to be reslain by the huntsman upon the return of the carriage.

Whether the cats are being killed or are simply skillfully dodging the bullets is a matter best left to the imagination of a child. who in any event will find the action very intriguing and amusing to watch.

While the gunner is aiming and shoot ing, the dog, very rapidly actuated, appears to be jumping in great excitement over the procecdings.

As suggested above, the inventive concept might be embodied in numerous other forms of toys, wherein one figure apparently acts to deliver a projectile and a second figure reacts in apparent response to the reception of the projectile.

It will thus be seen that there is herein described an article in which the several features of this invention are embodied, and which apparatus in its action attains the various objects of the invention and is well suited to meet the requirements of practical use.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. In a toy of the class described, a base plate, a motor driven carriage oscillatable over the surface of the base plate and a toy figure operated by the motor, the carriage including a hollow box-like structure having a swivel mount, the driving motor being supported by and housed within the carriage and a toy marksman figure supported on the carriage and carried in an arcuate path by the movement thereof.

2. In a toy of the class described, a base plate, a. motor driven carriage oscillatable over the surface of the base plate, the carriage including a hollow box-like structure having a swivel mount and the driving Inotor being supported by and housed within the carriage, an eccentric operated by the motor, stop means fixed to the base plate cooperating with the eccentric to cause oscillation of the carriage, a toy figure on the carriage and linkage operating the latter from the motor.

3. In a toy of the class described, a base plate, a motor driven carriage oscillatable over the surface of the base plate, the carriage including a hollow box-like structure having a swivel mount and the driving motor being supported by and housed within the carriage, an eccentric operated by the motor, stop means fixed to the base plate cooperating with the eccentric to cause oscillation of the carriage, said eccentric comprising a laterally projecting rod carried by a motor driven gear, and restrained by said stop means, a toy figure on the carriage and linkage operating the latter from the motor.

4. In a toy of the class described, a base plate. a motor driven carriage oscillatable over the surface of the base plate, the carriage including a hollow box-like structure having a swivel mount and the driving motor being supported by and hou ed within the carriage, an eccentric operated by the motor, stop means fixed to the base plate cooperating with the eccentric to cause oscillation of the carriage, said eccentric comprising a laterally projecting rod carried by a motor driven gear, and restrained by said stop means, said stop means comprising a vertical guide standard retaining the rod against movement toward or away therefrom. and permitting pivotal movement thereof, a toy figure on the carriage and linkage operating the latter from the motor.

5. In a toy of the class described, a base plate, a motor driven carriage oscillatable over the surface of the base plate, the carriage including a hollow box-like structure having a swivel mount, and the driving motor being supported by and housed Within ltiti llt) its

the carriage, an eccentric operated by the motor, stop means fixed to the base plate cooperating with the eccentric to cause oscillation of the carriage, said eccentric comprising a laterally projecting rod carried by a motor driven gear, and restrained by said stop means, said stop means comprising a vertical guide standard retaining the rod against movement toward or away therefrom, and permitting pivotal movement thereof, said guide having walls arranged closely adjacent each other to determine a vertical slot therebetween to prevent lateral play of the rod, said walls diverging outwardly from both sides of the center to permit changing of the relative angles of the standard and rod as the gear rotates and the carriage is moved, a toy figure on the carriage and linkage operating the latter from the motor.

6. In a toy of the class described, a base plate, a motor driven carriage oscillatable over the surface of the base plate, the carriage including a hollow box-like structure having a swivel mount and the driving motor being supported by and housed within the carriage, an eccentric operated by the motor, and stop means fixed to the base plate cooperating with the eccentric to cause oscillation of the carriage, said eccentric comprising a laterally projecting rod carried by a motor driven gear,and restrained by said stop means, said stop means comprising a vertical guide standard retaining the rod against movement toward or away therefrom, and permitting pivotal movement thereof, said standard including a pair of sections presenting cooperative slot-defining portions of general V-shape in cross section with their apical edges facing each other, a toy figure on the carriage and linkage operating the latter from the motor.

7. In a toy of the class described, a base plate, a motor driven carriage oscillatable over the surface of the base plate and a toy figure operated by the motor, and mounted on the carriage, including a body portion, a head portion, arm portions and jointed leg portions pivotally connected to the body, a platform on the carriage, the foot of one lower leg section being fixed to the platform and the foot of the other lower leg section being movably connected to the platform at a point spaced rearwardly of the first mentioned connection and means for actuating the body up and down whereby the figure appears to intermittently rise from a kneeling position. i

8. In a toy of the class described, a base plate, a motor driven carriage oscillatable over the surface of the base plate and a. toy figure operated by the motor, and mounted on the carriage, including a body portion, a head portion, arm portions and jointed leg portions pivotally connected to the body,.a platform on the carriage, the foot of one lower leg section being fixed to the platform and the foot of the other lower leg section being movable connected to the platform at a point spaced rearwardly of the first mentioned connection and means for actuating the body up and down whereby the figure appears to intermittently rise from a kneeling position, the means for operating the figure including a link pivotally connected to the stationary lower leg section and the body, and a reciprocating rod working through the platform, loosely connected to the link.

9. In a toy of the class described, a base plate, a motor driven carriage osciilatable over the surface of the base plate and a toy figure operated by the motor, and mounted on the carriage, including a body portion, a head portion, arm portions and jointed leg portions pivotally connected to the body, a platform on the carriage, the foot of one lower leg section being fixed to the platform and the foot of the other lower le section being morably connected to the platform at a point spaced rearwardly of the first mentioned 'con nection and means for actuating the body up and down whereby the figure appears to intermittently rise from a kneeling position, a toy gun carried by said figure, a noise making apparatus, and means controlled by the motor for operating the noise making apparatus each time the figure body is shifted to dispose the gun at a predetermined angle.

10. In a toy of the class described, a supporting platform, a kneeling jointed toy marksman figure carried thereby and including a weapon, and motor operated means connected to the body portion of the figure for intermittently lifting the body and causing the figure to simulate the action of rising from a kneeling posture and aiming the weapon.

11. In a toy, a base, a carriage movable back and forth over the base, a motor driving the carriage, a toy figure on the carriage, a support rising from the base, toy figures on the support, a tongue fixed to the carriage and moving therewith, and means controlled by the free end of the tongue to actuate said second mentioned toy figures, means operated from the motor to actuate the first toy figure, the first figure simulating a marksman, the second figures simulating animate targets and acting in apparent response to imaginary shots fired by the marksman figure.

12. In a toy of the class described a Vertical plate portion, a target figure member hingedly connected to the plate near its upper end and balanced to normally assume by gravity a concealed reclining position behind the plate and means engageable with the figure member to raise and support the same in exposed substantially upright position.

13. In a toy of the class described a vertical plate portion, a figure member hingedly connected to the plate near its upper end and balanced to normally assume by gravity a concealed reclining position behind the plate, and means engageable with the figure member to raise and support the same in exposed substantially upright position, said means including a slide mounted on the plate and spring pressed upwardly.

14. In a toy of the class described a vertical plate portion, a figure member hingedly connected to the plate near its upper end and balanced to normally assume by gravity a concealed reclining position behind the plate, and means engageable with the figure member to raise and support the same in exposed substantially upright position, said means including a slide mounted on the plate and spring pressed upwardly and means for posilively depressing the slide.

15. In a toy of the class described a vertical plate portion, a ligure member hingedly connected to the plate near its upper end and balanced to normally assume by gravity a concealed reclining position behind the plate, and means engageable with the figure member to raise and support the same in exposed substantially upright position, said means including a slide mounted on the plate and spring pressed upwardly, means for positively depressing the slide, comprising a movable member and a slide actuating roller carried thereby.

16. In a toy of the class described a vertical plate portion, a figure member hingedly connected to the plate near its upper end and balanced to normally assume by gravity a concealed reclining position behind the plate, and means engageable with the figure member to raise and support the same in exposed sub stantially upright position, said means including a slide mounted on the plate and spring pressed upwardly, means for positively depressing the slide, comprising a movable member and a slide actuating roller carried thereby and a ramp at the lower end of the slide over which the roller is adapted to travel.

17. In a toy of the class described a base member, a figure sustained thereon at one end thereof, an oscillating carriage on said base, a moving figure on said oscillating carriage, a slide controlling the position of said first figure and a common spring motor for oscillating said carriage and simultaneously operating said slide to move said first figure and in coordination therewith to move said second figure.

Signed at Newark in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey this 13th day of April, A. I). 1927.

SAMUEL I. BERGER. 

